EXERCISE SAVED MY LIFE
I was born with a hole in my heart. Entering the world extremely premature and underdeveloped, I was diagnosed with several complications including CHD, Cyanotic Heart Disease. This congenital heart defect results in low levels of oxygen in the blood.
At the time, medical experts were not equipped to fix the problem. As a result, most cases ultimately resulted in death. The option for surgery didn’t exist, causing me to remain in an incubator. Instead of submitting to the condition, my doctor showed my mother what my first ever workout would be.
My heart and lungs needed exercise to develop and grow tissue around the hole. For that to begin, I needed to be stimulated to cry, the more the better. In that premature state I had zero immunity, so I was kept in the incubator for nearly 3 months. Nurses, along with my mother would place their hands inside the incubator to probe me to cry. Once I was released, my mother had the sole responsibility of making me cry, think about how hard that was for a mother to go against her instincts, but she continued to make sure I was getting my workouts, no matter how challenging.
The doctor explained to her that each time I struggled between life and death and won, I was only getting stronger. Exercise became my only hope, and eventually became my sanctuary.
At the age of 5, I began taking Martial Arts classes. I was the smallest and most undeveloped child of all the students. After 5 years of training daily, I began growing and my muscle mass increased. My energy level elevated tremendously, and I felt more alive than ever. In each breath I took, I felt the oxygen giving new life to every cell in my body.
I quickly became one of the most accomplished students at the school. The hole in my heart finally sealed, and the fear of me dying vanished.
I went on to study 5 different styles of Martial Arts, achieving black belts in all of them.
Recognizing the miracle I experienced through exercise only increased my desire to learn more. I enrolled and attended Medical school, and after a few years, my focus changed to Exercise Physiology, Kinesiology and eventually Nutrition.
Today, with over 30 years of training an expansive client list ranging from high-profile celebrities, professional athletes and renowned medical professionals, I always take pride in making sure each person I’m training is protected from injury in all forms.
This inspired the idea to develop a complete workout system without compression that strengthens the entire body wherever, whenever. Creativity and innovation led to manifesting this vision, marking the beginning of BodyLX360.
The multi-vector training system allows you to work any angle of your body safely and efficiently.
My mission remains to provide others with the empowerment that exercise has given to me, achieving results that will make a difference in the lives of all my students.
Exercise is a science, and with the right routines, your body will be greatly rewarded.
Best,
Flavio DeOliveria